Friday, May 1, 2009

Building Self Esteem in Kids

High Self Esteem in Children: Where does it come from?Researchers of self-esteem development suggest that high self esteem comes from:

• Love, respect, and acceptance• Being taken seriously• Being listened to• Having your needs met and taken seriously• Honoring uniqueness• Being healthy and fit• Having a sense of humor, laughing, and playing• Taking pride in your cultural heritage• Having choices and a sense of personal power• Having safety and security• Competence and achievement

The Differences between boys and girls

Who is more apt to like themselves, think they have a number of good qualities, and be glad for who they are? Boys. Search institute researchers have discovered that 56% of boys have a positive self-esteem whereas only 47% of girls do. Why do you think that is?

Can a parent really affect a child’s self-esteem?

Life’s positive and negative offerings are the areas in which adults have great power and opportunity to impact self-esteem. Parents can provide positive messages to their children, love their children even when they make poor choices, and give specific suggestions when they want their children to act in different ways.

What can be done at school to help build self-esteem in your child?

Your SPI Specialist can help build your child’s self-esteem by focusing on his/her competencies, listening to your child, and strengthening his or her social skills. Ask to speak with the SPI Specialist at your school to find out how he/she can help build your child’s self-esteem.

About Me

Dana's Bio:
Dana received her Master’s Degree in Psychology from Duke University in 1997 and her Doctorate in Psychology with a Concentration in Organizational Behavior from Duke University in 1999. She started her professional career as the Director of Human Resources for a small start up, Technology company in North Carolina. She then started her own Executive Coaching practice specializing in technology companies. After moving to Scottsdale AZ, Dana began teaching Developmental Psychology as an adjunct faculty member at Paradise Valley Community College. She also developed parenting and sign language workshops for families in the community and worked as a parenting instructor for two local non-profits. In 2006, Dana served as the Executive Director for a non-profit organization, North Central Parenting Group. Dana joined Scottsdale Prevention Institute (SPI) in 2007 as a Prevention Specialist at Cherokee Elementary School. Currently, Dana is serving as SPI’s school program director. She is responsible for overseeing the school prevention specialists as well as developing new school and community prevention programs.